August 2016 MANHATTAN FREE Family Where Every Child Matters It’s still summer! Plan it all with our calendar Preparing for Kindergarten Teaching your children about mindful eating A fun social media detox Find us online at www.NYParenting.com Child Health Plus +++++ with Fidelis Care Affordable health insurance for How much does Child Health Plus cost? children under 19. Coverage may be free or as little as $9 each month, based on household income. For families at full WYLTP\TSL]LS-PKLSPZ*HYLVќLYZZVTLVM[OL See top-quality providers, close to home. lowest rates available. How do I enroll my child? Checkups, dental care, hospital care, Through NY State of Health at nystateofhealth.ny.gov. and more! Apply by the 15th of the month to have coverage for your child on the 1st of the following month. +Fidelis Care is a top-rated plan in the Fidelis Care is in your community! 2015 New York State Consumer’s Guide =PZP[ÄKLSPZJHYLVYNÄUKHUVѝJL[VZLHYJOMVY[OL to Medicaid and Child Health Plus. JVTT\UP[`VѝJLULHYLZ[[V`V\ 1-888-FIDELIS • ÄKLSPZJHYLVYN (1-888-343-3547) TTY: 1-800-421-1220 To learn more about applying for health insurance, including Child Health Plus and Medicaid through 5@:[H[LVM/LHS[O;OL6ѝJPHS/LHS[O7SHU4HYRL[WSHJL visit www.nystateofhealth.ny.gov or call 1-855-355-5777. 'ÄKLSPZJHYL MANHATTAN Family August 2016 34 FEATURES COLUMNS 6 An online minefield 10 Just Write Mom How to help your kids, tweens, and teens BY DANIEllE SUllIVAN safely navigate social media BY LISA BEACH 22 FabuLYSS Finds BY LYSS STERN 8 Nurturing nature’s gifts Encouraging your children to embrace 24 Dear Teacher science and the arts BY PEGGY GISLER AND BY CAROLYN WATERBURY-TIEMAN MARGE EbERTS 12 Preparing for kindergarten 28 Healthy Living 12 A teacher’s advice for the big day BY DANIEllE SUllIVAN BY AlEXA BIGWARFE 36 Tips for Feeding Kids 20 Taking it offline BY JOANNA DEVITA New game encourages social media detox 46 Behavior & Beyond BY LAURA VAROSCAK-DEINNOCENTIIS BY DR. MARCIE BEIGEL 26 Fitbit to be tied A device that tracks all my fitness activity? No thanks! CALENDAR BY LISA A. BEACH 38 August Events 30 Teaching children about mindful eating SPECIAL SECTIONS A therapist’s new book offers help for families struggling with weight issues 14 Education Directory BY AllISON PLITT 45 The Marketplace 32 Philanthropy in 3D A Manhattan teen’s passion for changing kids’ lives with 3D printing BY SHNIEKA L. JOHNSON 34 Coming up Rosie O’Donnell’s program gives theater-loving kids a brighter future BY TAMMY SCILEppI 46 August 2016 • MANHATTAN FAMILY 3 LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER Summer in the city ummer fun is hap- building one of the many families are taking advan- if you want to have an even greater pening all around most beautiful and in- tage of our beautiful facilities and expanded look around town for S New York. The tricate sand castles I wonderful lawns. One doesn’t even happenings beyond your own bor- beaches have been re- had ever seen. Then have to see it, usually you can smell ough, log onto to our website, NY- ally friendly this year there are the boogie the aroma of grilling going on. Parenting.com, click on the calen- with great weather boarders and even re- New York City is wonderful in dar, and also sign up for our news- overall. Not too hot and ally young surfers. By the summer. With lots of families letters on the homepage. steamy, but just hot the way, what’s really going in and out of town on vaca- Have a great August and happy enough to make being changed is the num- tions and many of the kids away Labor Day, too! at the beach simply de- ber of adults who have at sleep away camps, most of the licious. The beach is gotten into the joys of neighborhoods are less crowded, Thanks for reading. great for everyone in the family, but boogie boarding. It’s not just kids and if you have a car, it’s a lot especially for kids. It’s, after all, a anymore, which makes trying to easier to park and get around. Pub- really big sandbox, and what kid swim or take a dip sometimes fairly lic transit is lighter, too, and that doesn’t love the sandbox? hazardous. makes everyone happier who takes I was out at the beach last week- It’s been a great summer for pic- it on a daily basis. But watch out for end as usual and was marveling nicking in the park and if one walks the cyclists. They are everywhere. Susan Weiss-Voskidis, at the amount of work and tal- or drives by our parks on any week- Our calendar is full of wonderful Publisher/Excutive Editor ent some of the kids had put into end, you can see for yourself how ideas for you and your family, and [email protected] Community News Group Contact Information CEO: Les Goodstein ADVERTISING: WEB OR PRINT ADDRESS PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER: Jennifer Goodstein (718) 260-4554 New York Parenting Media/CNG [email protected] 1 Metrotech Center North 10th Floor New York Parenting CIRCULATION Brooklyn, NY 11201 (718) 260-8336 PUBLISHER / EXECUTIVE EDITOR: [email protected] Susan Weiss PUBLISHER / BUSINESS MANAGER: EDITORIAL www.NYParenting.com Clifford Luster (718) 260-4554 [email protected] OPERATIONS ASSOCIATE: Tina Felicetti CALENDAR SALES REPS: Alexis Benson, Erin Brof, (718) 260-2523 Jay Pelc, Stephanie Stellacio ART DIRECTOR: Leah Mitch WEB DESIGNER: Sylvan Migdal The acceptance of advertising by New York Parent- New York Parenting has been recognized for ing does not constitute an endorsement of the editorial and design excellence by PMA. 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Curtis, (718) 260-4554, emailing [email protected] or Shavana Abruzzo by visiting our website, NYParenting.com. CALENDAR EDITOR: Joanna Del Buono Join the conversation on Facebook. 4 MANHATTAN FAMILY • August 2016 August 2016 • MANHATTAN FAMILY 5 An online minefield How to help BY LISA BEACH hink before you post. your kids, It se e m s l i ke com mon se n se , T but a lot of kids, tweens, and teens just aren’t heeding this advice tweens, and when they use social media — and are getting themselves into trouble in the process. teens safely Just ask attorney James Muel- ler, a managing partner with Verner navigate Brumley McCurley Mueller Parker, a Dallas-based family law firm. “Some of the things kids put on- social media line [are] going to affect them, be- tional Behavior and Health cause it doesn’t go away,” says Muel- Therapist, agrees. ler. “It will follow them in life.” “In laying down the As a family lawyer, Mueller sees rules, especially for this at first hand. younger kids, it’s im- “In one custody hearing, a daugh- portant to give kids ter gave the judge all these reasons the logic behind the why she didn’t want to live with rule and provide ex- mom. We found out that, when we amples that dem- checked the girl’s Instagram ac- onstrate the bad things that could your action, you can’t control other count, she didn’t want to live with happen,” says Dr. Gluckman, who people’s actions.” mom, because dad allowed her to advises a collaborative approach, Realize what you post is perma- smoke marijuana and drink while at asking kids what kind of rules they nent — even if you later delete it. dad’s house,” recalls Mueller. “The could live with and then negotiate. Once you hit send, you create a per- next thing you know, she’s kicked off “When you’re a nurturing — rather manent cyber-record of your words her sports team, the judge has now than authoritative — parent, you’re and images delivered via status up- seen all of this, and dad is in trouble. educating and empowering kids, dates or news feeds. Someone might The sad part is it all came from an which will help them learn to think have already saved or shared your Instagram post.” things through themselves.” post by the time you delete it from Kids need to realize that these So how can kids, tweens, and your account. days, everyone looks at their social teens engage online in a more re- Be aware that your online activ- media activity, including teachers, sponsible way? Here are some tips: ity affects your reputation. When coaches, lawyers, colleges, scholar- Think before you post. If you’d you realize that other people be- ship committees, and potential em- be embarrassed to show what you’re sides your friends are checking out ployers. Stories abound in the media going to post to your grandmother, your social media accounts, you’re about athletes getting kicked off then don’t post it.